The different types of cyclists becoming clear now

[DSK]

As my cycling mileage is nicely racking up during the early hours of the morning, I've noticed a few differences.

This morning, I'm doing a training segment on a quiet residential area which usually has a couple of other cyclists and runners on it. BSO rider, no helmet, one phone stood at road side, without warning pulls away and does a U turn without using his eyes or ears (you can hear cyclists and runners). Sheer luck no incident but had he moved a fraction later I would have ridden into him at 26mph!

Young girl around late teens no helmet, cycles straight through a cross roads giving a poor taxi driver with right of way the shock of his life. She didn't slow down, but did look however, didn't stop. How the taxi avoided that one is beyond me. Taxi stopped for a moment as the girl carried on like there's no one around.

BSO riders with no helmet seem to be the equivalent of Adison Lee, approach with caution they can do anything without warning.

Paperboys/girls doing the early morning rounds on their mountain bikes are quite observant helmet or not.

Other roadies commuting or leisure riding never say hi but always check you out

Electric bike riders have every right to be smug going up hill .... cheats

 

[Venod]

Why are you highlighting the wearing of a helmet, plenty of very experienced competent cyclists without helments as well.

 

[Johnno260]

The amount of people I have seen doing random u turns is amazing.

cross roads and round abouts are lottery these days some people don’t stop let alone slow down.

 

[newfhouse]

BSO riders with no helmet

That’ll be me on my shopping bike.

 

[DSK]

Why are you highlighting the wearing of a helmet, plenty of very experienced competent cyclists without helments as well.

Just what I have seen around my way as a common theme (but there are exceptions).

 

[Dogtrousers]

Might be a thread better suited to the helmet forum.

 

[I like Skol]

Training segment (whatever that means ) on an open public highway. 0/10

Labelling other cyclists because of the type or perceived value of their bikes. 0/10

Judging cyclists based on helmet wear. 0/10

Claiming affinity with other 'proper' cyclists ( FFS!) because they are miserable/serious like you. 0/10

IMO you score pretty badly as a cyclist, just glad I haven't had to endure your pious attitude in person on a ride because I think it would have been unbearable.

 

[I like Skol]

BSO rider, no helmet, one phone stood at road side, without warning pulls away and does a U turn without using his eyes or ears (you can hear cyclists and runners). Sheer luck no incident but had he moved a fraction later I would have ridden into him at 26mph!

BSO riders with no helmet seem to be the equivalent of Adison Lee, approach with caution they can do anything without warning.

Seems you forgot to follow your own advice in your quest to train at speed in proximity to other road users?

 

[dodgy]

OP

SNIP

Are you fairly new to cycling?

 

[winjim]

I don't think it's too much of a stretch to claim that people riding cheap bikes in normal clothes with no helmet and little care for the finer points of roadcraft do exist as a broad category. So do overcautious middle-aged people on mid-range hybrids wearing cheap helmets and fluorescent jackets. So do arrogant MAMILs wearing full kit, expensive helmets riding carbon fibre twatmachines. So do helmetless bearded old roadies on steel tourers.

These stereotypes do exist and it is possible to broadly predict their behaviour based on appearance. But guess what? There are also exceptions and other cyclists who don't fall into these very broad stereotyped categories.

As long as you don't rely on it totally, the appearance of a cyclist, including the wearing or not of a helmet, can give you clues as to their likely or possible actions on the road. We do it all the time with drivers as well, teenagers in hot hatches or whatever are likely to drive differently compared with pensioners in crap saloons. It's part of roadcraft, predicting and mitigating the actions of others.

 

[matticus]

This poster seems to expect some correlation between cycling competence and helmet-wearing - and is collecting data to test this theory.

Hilarious!

 

[Drago]

Well, the opening post wasn't too self aggrandising, was it?

 

[Alex H]

BSO riders with no helmet seem to be the equivalent of Adison Lee, approach with caution they can do anything without warning.

Who?

 

[GetFatty]

Just what I have seen around my way as a common theme (but there are exceptions).

Even though it's round your way, I don't understand the importance of the helmet in the descriptors

Not really sure how I fit in. Wear lycra but no helmet. Ride a reasonably expensive Ti road bike but don't give a monkey's what anyone else is riding. And surprisingly since lockdown I've actually started saying Hi to other cyclists except the ones who appear to be taking it way too seriously and doing Strava segments.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

There I was minding my own business, turning right when a lycra lout on a Giant with pro lite wheels too busy being in everyone elses business, almost rides into me